How the Slate truck gets updates without a screen

Almost every new car now gets "over-the-air" (OTA) software updates through a built-in cellular modem or your home Wi‑Fi. Slate Auto's small electric pickup has neither. So how does it stay up to date? Engadget explains the workaround, and it's refreshingly simple: your phone does the downloading.

A truck stripped to the basics

Minimalism is Slate's whole business model. The base truck skips an infotainment system, a radio, speakers, power windows and even paint (you wrap it in vinyl instead). Engadget puts the entry price under $25,000. A long list of add-ons can fill the gaps: speakers, an iPad mount that acts as a screen, a kit that turns the truck into a five-seat SUV, and a telematics module that lets you unlock the doors from the app. Fully loaded, the price passes $45,000.

Slate's estimates for the truck are about 205 miles (330 km) of range, a 1,550 lb (703 kg) maximum payload and a 2,000 lb (907 kg) towing rating. That's for errands and short hauls rather than long road trips.

How a Slate update works

1. The Slate app on your phone notices that an update is available and downloads it.
2. You plug the phone into the truck's USB port on the dashboard. The file transfer takes about a minute, and this is the only step where the phone has to stay connected.
3. The truck then installs the update on its own, which takes around 45 minutes.

Slate says the updates will stick to bug fixes and small improvements. Don't expect the major feature drops Tesla or Rivian owners are used to.

The app does the "infotainment" jobs

The same app shows your remaining range, helps you find chargers, and can send directions to Google Maps, Apple Maps or Waze. In practice your phone becomes the screen, which many drivers already prefer.

Privacy

A truck that doesn't phone home will appeal to buyers who are tired of connected-car data collection. Slate says it won't sell app data and only collects what it needs for things like diagnostics, service and update status. That's a clear contrast with recent controversies over carmakers sharing driving data.

Is it a smart trade-off?

For a low-cost work truck, probably yes. Fewer modems and screens mean fewer parts to fail and less data leaving the car. The catch is that you have to remember to plug in your phone now and then. If you're thinking about an EV like this, our home EV charger guide and EV battery care tips cover the basics of living with one. Rivian, meanwhile, is going the opposite way and selling its software to other brands.